


Small Mercies

by orphan_account



Category: Death Note, Death Note & Related Fandoms
Genre: M/M, WIP
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-07-23
Packaged: 2018-09-27 13:40:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10023125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Light grinned, a malformed and twisted thing that caused L to flinch.“It was such a shame too.L, did you know,” -the grin widened at the private joke- “how very close you were to dying?”





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer- I do not own Death Note, it owns me.

L saw him begin to stir as the fluorescent lights continued to flicker on to full brightness. “Light, I see you are awake. It’s time we talked.”

The boy sat up with a groan, licking at his chapped lips and slowly opened his eyes. Not being truly awake, he looked about as lucid as could be expected. “Ryu” -he caught his breath and cleared his dry throat- “Ryuzaki, what is…what’s going on?”

L gave him only a few seconds to take in his new surroundings. He wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. It was difficult to keep his voice even. “You will be experiencing some mild amnesia from sedation, but I need you to focus. _It’s time to talk, Light_.”

Light finally met L's eyes for the first time with complete concentration, and froze. L understood: the teenager’s typical brilliance was still fighting the after-effects of the sedatives Watari had been giving him for the past few days. Light was realizing that the circumstances he awoke to were _wrong_ , and evidently L’s eyes were clearly betraying his own unease.

L cleared his throat as silently as possible, not wanting to show anymore weakness than he already had. “I gather you have questions for me. However, you will simply start by asking the wrong ones, and I have neither the time nor the patience to keep you in suspense. Yagami Light, you are Kira.”

“I’m _not_! You bastard, I-,”

“You are. You just don’t remember.”

“Ryuzaki, this is _sick_ -,”

“No Light. _You_ are the one that is sick. Or was- it’s a matter of opinion, but I digress. Now, I didn't once think you would take me at my word so I brought along proof. Would you like to see?” L pulled a remote from the left pocket of his jeans, and pressed a button that lowered down a large screen, not waiting for an actual answer. He looked back at Light expectantly, just to humor him. 

Despite the boy’s usual unwavering belief in himself, he still hesitated. He shot L a small glare before giving a barely noticeable nod. L nodded back, and then hit the play button. The footage displayed Light with his arms and legs shackled in a small cell similar to the one he had been in for his 50-day incarceration. Across from him stood L, at what one would consider a safe distance. Such was the quality of the camera that the murderously smug look on Kira-Light’s face was unmistakable.

 

Light gave his full attention to the screen, visibly disturbed by what he was seeing, but L continued to watch him out of his peripheral vision. He wanted to catalogue every expression and micro-expression on Light’s face for his own peace of mind. Never mind that he had little peace to start with. He began listening in time to hear the ‘other’ Light’s voice-

 

 **CELL 4. CELL SURVEILLANCE CAM 2- 11 NOVEMBER: 21:07**

“-I can’t say it wasn’t fun, L. It’s quite a shame, isn’t it? Thanks for the game, and the other” -he winked- “games too.”

It was silent on L’s end.

“You’re wondering why I’m not begging for my life right now, am I correct?”

Again, Light was answered with silence.

“Well, I can’t deny you’ve backed me into a hell of a corner. I’m not begging…simply because I don’t believe for a second you will send me to my execution. C’mon L, you can’t deny we had some positively _remarkable_ times together.”

“That’s true. It was a positively remarkable experience to order your arrest after so long,” L finally spoke.

Light grinned, a malformed and twisted thing that caused L to flinch. “It was such a shame too. _L, did you know_ ,” -the grin widened at the private joke- “how very close you were to dying?”

“I had a feeling.”

“Because L, I don’t just mean a week, or even a couple of days, or an hour.”

“You had _minutes_ left.”

“You must be so disappointed. Now, unless you have something of relevance to say, I must go finalize the details of your execution. You’ll be hanged, of course. I know how much you appreciate tradition in your country.”

“Oh. I rather think not. I do have one last thing to say. I know you’ll want to watch this. Pay attention, _Ryuzaki_. Rem!”

“Kira, we both know the Shinigami won’t kill me.”

Light gave L one final look of triumph. “Rem, I relinquish ownership of the Death Note.”

And immediately Kira was replaced by the same Light Yagami, only one that believed he was innocent.

Once the screen was nothing but static, L switched it off, and tossed the remote on a nearby end table. Light was looking downwards at the grey blankets in his lap.

“Once you relinquished ownership, any and all memories you had pertaining to the Death Note vanished. I trust this video sufficed as adequate evidence. I will not be providing you with any other information on how we apprehended you; you do not have that privilege.”

Light didn’t look up before quietly asking “Why did you spare me at all? Is it because of-”

“Any closeness of ours was not my reason for sparing you. You are hardly the first person I was intimate with for a case, Light."

"Moving on, I trust you remember Aiber and Wedy. They, like yourself, have committed acts that are considered morally reprehensible, although you do make them appear like harmless kittens in comparison.”

“You are alive because, like them, you have assets that outweigh my desire to send you to your death. Your mind, though dangerous and volatile, is a valuable thing to waste. You will be assisting me as L on cases I find appropriate. As far as living conditions, you will want for nothing, but make no mistake- this is still your prison, Light. You will be strictly monitored at all times, and essentially cut off from the outside world.”

Light still seemed in too much a state of shock to speak. All he could do was continue to look downwards and nod.

“If I so much as sense you harboring violent inclinations towards me, or suspect your memories have returned, I will execute you without a second thought. Watari will be coming by in 10 minutes to brief you on the details. I think you’ll find it more agreeable than death. Light, isn’t this what you always wanted? To be a detective? Perhaps you should be thanking me.”

The teenager curled back up under the blankets and said nothing.

L opened the door and turned to leave before calling out Light’s name softly.

Light looked up to see a slight smirk on L’s face.

“Thank you for keeping your promise to me, for helping me catch Kira. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

The door shut and locked behind him with a click.

**Author's Note:**

> Questions? Comments? Concerns? Kudos?
> 
> Thanks to everyone that's been supportive of me trying to exercise my creative side.  
> Love, Jo


End file.
